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Where do your patterns come from?

16 years ago

Hello! I'm new here, and new to quilting. I'm from Northern VA and I've done some basic quilting projects that I just loved doing. I've seen some of the amazing quilts and quilt projects that you ladies have posted and they are inspiring! I was curious, where do your patterns come from? Do you get them online? at quilt shops? fabric stores? your own creativity?

Thanks!

Vicki in VA

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Comments (18)

caroline1947
16 years ago
Welcome!!!!! Patterns are endless on here for FREE!!! One of our favorites is QuiltersCache,,,,there are many there with good directions!!!! You will love this forum!!!~~~~Caroline
kathi_mdgd
16 years ago
I get mine from books and at www.quilterscache.com.
Welcome to the board from sunny S.Calif There are lots of great ladies on here and a wealth of information.
Kathi
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I have quilt books in a bookcase for inspiration. I have a very few patterns from magazines in a binder, also in the bookcase. I never print a pattern from the internet unless I'm actually starting the quilt - I save them to a "Nifty Quilts" folder on the computer desktop. If one strikes my fancy, and I decide to make it, that's when I print it out. I do keep that file backed up to a removable drive just in case the computer dies. I live with a true clutterbug DH. I love him dearly, and yet, he drives me crazy! He saves every reciept for everything. We could drown in his paper. My quilting studio is often cluttered with the fabrics for a certain project, but I can't stand to have bits of paper everywhere. And the scraps get put away or tossed at the end of the process. I simply try to be realistic - there are only so many quilts I can make in my lifetime. Not every adorable pattern is worth saving on paper, because I may never have the occasion to make it. I save many, maybe even too many, on the computer, and look through them for inspiration. I think I've only ever bought one quilt pattern in my life, and that was for a special gift to my stepdad when he became a minister - it was an applique nativity scene,. He loved it. I keep that pattern in the binder, but I know I will never make it again, LOL. Mary
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scraphappy
16 years ago
I find patterns literally all over - I've made quilts inspired from a 2" square picture in a quilt catalog more than once. If you have graph paper, and can figure out the "building blocks" of the quilt, you can develop your own pattern. I also use quilt magazines, quilt books, the internet, - the amt. of possibilities is endless!
biwako_of_abi
16 years ago
Welcome from a bit farther south (8 miles from Mexico) than Kathi! I got a lot of traditional blocks from http://www.quilt.com/
Scroll down till you see Patterns and Instructions, and there will be a number of links to click on for blocks. When you click on an individual block, you get instructions for making it. Once I found that the cutting instructions were wrong--something along the line of calling for so many pieces of pattern piece Z in fabric A, when it should have been B--so if you use this site, then before cutting, look at the diagram and count to make sure how many little pieces of which fabric you are going to need.
bettyatp
16 years ago
Welcome !!
Your at a good place if like to quilt.
I get some from quiltville, the link is below .
enjoy!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: quiltville
grammyp
16 years ago
Welcome from central Alabama Vicki. Quilter's Cache is my favorite, but I can't resist a good book either, or a magazine, or my neighbors collection, ...

beverly

Here is a link that might be useful: Quilter's Cache
geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
16 years ago
Hi Vicki! I get my patterns from all over the internet. If I see a quilt that I would like to make, I figure it out so I don't have to buy a pattern. Guess that's why I prefer the more traditional patterns (and no curves). I have lots of books and mags (just gave tons to Hospice for their sale), but usually just look through them for inspiration. If I have a pattern, I rarely follow the complete directions as I try to find the easiest and more time-saving way of doing things.

SharonG/FL
sandra_ferguson
16 years ago
I've never bought a pattern in my life. When I see something I like I save it, either as a hard copy or on my computer...I've even seen quilts at shops/antique shows, etc, and made a little drawing.... then, later, I take a good look at either the drawing or pic, and then draft my own, in the size block I want. I happen to like foundation piecing, and I generally can manage to turn any pattern I see into a foundation pieced one. So, when you see something that attracts you, save it...and, be realistic about the difficulty quotient of any pattern you're considering. It's fine to challenge yourself a bit, but don't bite off more than you can chew....the idea is to work on something that you can actually DO, not depress yourself with something that is 'over your head'.
wanda_va
16 years ago
Welcome from northwestern Virginia!! I'm out Route 66, about 60 miles west of D.C. You will love this forum--the folks here are great!

I get most of my patterns from quilterscache.com, or I design my own. I recently got EQ6, and plan to use it for designs in the future.
laurainsdca
16 years ago
Welcome!

I buy tons of quilt books and have used patterns from them. Mostly I just love looking through the books. I buy them on line -- from Amazon or Ebay or wherever I can find the best deal. I have never paid quilt store prices for a book.

I've also gotten patterns from looking at things and the places already mentioned on here.

I've been quilting about 2.5 years now and I have learned 90% of what I know from the nice people on this forum. No exaggeration. Now I am able to look at a block and figure out the pattern and a strategic way to put it together. That was surely not the case at first.

Don't forget you local library for books either.

And if you have high speed internet access there are some places with great video instrucitons -- but I can't think of the addresses right now...

PS -- BIWAKO, I think you and I may be next door neighbors!!! I didn't realize you were so far south.
vickiva
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow! Thanks for the great responses!! I'm getting geared up to start my first real quilt, so I was just curious about everyone's patterns.

Thanks again!!
Vicki in VA
dmsgal
16 years ago
Hi Vicki :-) I'm in Va also. I just found this website last week and Love it ! I downloaded the FREE (full version ) 30 day trial . It is great. Try it out.You can pick the size quilt, choose from many, many block types and then pick your colors arrange the design and even print out the templates and how much fabric it will take.
http://www.quiltpro.com/go.php?id=123Quilt I'm sure you will like it. Mary in Va
vicky4x4
16 years ago
Hi Vicki, I'm also a Vicky. I get a lot of my patterns from Quilt in a day. They had a good sale the weekend of Mother's Day. If you check their sight often they have sales on fabric and notions too. I also use quilters cache.

Vicky
jennifer_in_va
16 years ago
Hi Vicki from another Virginian!! I think as a state we're beginning to out number PA!!

I get inspiration from all over. Sometimes it's a kit or pattern from a show or shop, sometimes a book, occassionally a website, and sometimes an original design. Just depends what kind of project I have on tap.

Welcome aboard! The gang here will be very helpful and enthusiastic anytime you need!!
maryliz
16 years ago
There are free patterns available as PDFs (Adobe Acrobat Files) from fabric manufacturers. Sorry, you'll have to copy and paste. I am not going to give you the exact URL, because sometimes they change. So just look around on the websites and you'll find a wealth of free stuff.

ttfabrics.com
rjrfabrics.com
modafabrics.com
robertkaufman.com
clothworkstextiles.com
windhamfabrics.com
andoverfabrics.com
pbtex.com
quiltingtreasures.com
marcusbrothers.com
unitednotions.com (Moda)
southseaimports.com
maryliz
16 years ago
Here's another good one!href>
fran1523
16 years ago
I too get patterns from all over. In addition to the wonderful sites already mentioned, when I go to quilt shows and see something that I like, I take a picture. Then I can usually figure out how to make it without a pattern. For a long time I avoided patterns that included half square triangles and only did these with squares and rectangles. Now that I've mastered the HST, I am more interested in challenging myself with more difficult blocks.
lizh5
16 years ago
Vicki,
You can get your inspiration from anywhere. I have only been quilting for about 2 years, but learned to sew at my Mother's knee.

I saw a quilt on this forum, and I am sorry I can't give credit to who ever it was, I was just clicking on pics.

Do a Google search for Bento Box quilt, very easy and very pretty I know I will be making more of one of these.

Liz

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